Over 150 players, including a bevy of quarterbacks, have changed teams in the first wave of NFL free agency. But one player on the trade block who hasn’t found a new home is Justin Fields.
There’s always the possibility of the Chicago Bears keeping the 11th pick from the 2021 NFL Draft. Still, with Caleb Williams seemingly set to join the team in late April, there may not be room for two young, developing QBs with a first-round pedigree on the roster.
Yet, there’s also no clear landing spot for Fields. Not as a starter, anyway. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t or won’t be interest in the 25-year-old dual-threat QB.
Here are the seven best trade fits for Justin Fields right now.
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Baltimore Ravens
Sure, the Baltimore Ravens have two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, and he’s not going anywhere. Yet, just seeing how successful Jackson has become in Baltimore should at least mildly intrigue Fields. He’d have the benefit of playing in a system that’s friendly for mobile QBs, and for the Ravens, if Jackson ever went down with an injury, plugging Fields in would still provide a dangerous rushing threat. If the cost is low, bringing in Fields to slot just ahead of Malik Cunningham on the Ravens’ depth chart could be wise.
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Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson is obviously the future of the Indianapolis Colts’ franchise. Yet, his reckless nature also leads to injuries, as we saw during his rookie season after being limited to just four games. Sam Ehlinger is the only other QB on Shane Steichen’s depth chart, but adding a high-upside backup like Fields would provide a lot more insurance, just in case Richardson suffers another spell of injuries.
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Seattle Seahawks
Geno Smith is 34. He’s only under contract through 2025. New coach Mike Macdonald didn’t exactly offer glowing praise to the Seattle Seahawks starting QB recently when asked about Smith’s future. While it’s hard to imagine Seattle moving on from Smith at this juncture of the offseason, they will need a new backup now that Drew Lock has signed with the Giants. Taking a chance on Fields developing into a long-term starter gives the Seahawks the opportunity to evaluate another young QB prospect without having to waste valuable draft capital.
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San Francisco 49ers
The only two QBs on the San Francisco 49ers’ roster are Brock Purdy and Brandon Allen. That alone likely keeps Kyle Shanahan up at night, worrying about another freakish situation where he loses two quarterbacks in the same game. Not to mention, while Allen knows the system, the 31-year-old doesn’t have much upside. Meanwhile, we already know Shanahan is intrigued with the idea of having a mobile QB (Trading up for Trey Lance), and buying low on Fields gives him another project to play with.
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Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts didn’t exactly inspire confidence with his inconsistent play last season. Marcus Mariota has departed in free agency, leaving behind Tanner McKee as the only other QB in Philadelphia, but Howie Roseman likes to have multiple options. Fields is similar to Hurts in that he’s effective with his legs but needs to be more effective as a passer. Can the former first-round pick find success in Philly?
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Kansas City Chiefs
We’ve already heard one NFL insider linking the Kansas City Chiefs to Justin Fields, thanks to his connection with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who coached him in Chicago. Unlike a few other teams who have some question marks at the starting QB position, there is no such doubt in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes around. Joining the Chiefs would give Fields a chance to be patient with his development while witnessing how the NFL’s greatest QB operates from day to day and week to week. Plus, are the Chiefs really confident in Chris Oladokun and Ian Book if Mahomes had to miss time?
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Denver Broncos give Justin Fields the best chance to play
This is the only spot left where Fields could possibly win the starting role ahead of the preseason. After moving on from Russell Wilson, there is no more QB-needy team than the Denver Broncos. You can’t go into Week 1 with full confidence in Jarrett Stidham being your starter, and Ben DiNucci is no savior as the backup. In a perfect world, the Broncos would trade up from No. 12 for someone like J.J. McCarthy, but not having their second-round pick and being behind other teams, like the Vikings, could cause issues on draft day.
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